Short answer: In Los Angeles you have four realistic ways to get rid of a mattress. You can drop it at a free state recycling site (California's Bye Bye Mattress program), have your retailer haul the old one away for free when a new mattress is delivered (required by state law), put it out for free city curbside pickup if you qualify, or pay a crew to carry it out for you. The free routes cost nothing but ask you to transport the mattress or wait — paid removal is for when it's up stairs, you have no truck, it's infested, or you need it gone next-day. A queen removed for you is a flat $129, carried out and recycled.
Your options at a glance
| Option | Cost | Effort | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bye Bye Mattress drop-off | Free | You haul it to a site | You have a truck or SUV and some time |
| Retailer take-back | Free (state law) | None — they take it on delivery | You're buying a new mattress |
| City curbside pickup (LASAN) | Free | You carry it to the curb; City of LA only | You qualify and can wait |
| Paid removal (JunkLine) | Flat — a queen is $129 | None — the crew carries it out | Stairs, no truck, bed bugs, or a tight deadline |
None of these is "best" in the abstract — they solve different problems. Here's how each one actually works.
The free state program: Bye Bye Mattress
California runs a statewide mattress recycling program called Bye Bye Mattress, operated by the Mattress Recycling Council. It's funded by a small recycling fee you already paid when you bought your current mattress (about eighteen dollars per new mattress as of 2026), which means using it costs you nothing extra.
The program has more than 240 permanent drop-off locations plus roughly 100 collection events a year statewide, and about 99% of Californians live within 15 miles of a site. You look up the nearest one by ZIP code, bring proof of California residency, and drop off your mattress or box spring at no charge. There they're broken into four materials — steel, foam, fibers, and wood — and turned into products like carpet padding, insulation, and rebar, keeping most of the unit out of the landfill.
Two things to know before you load up: some sites have a limit on how many units you can drop at once, and recyclers won't accept a mattress that's wet, soiled, twisted, or infested — so this route only works for a dry, intact mattress you can transport yourself. LA County also maintains its own Countywide Mattress Recycling Program page to help residents find nearby options.
Free when you're buying a new one: retailer take-back
This is the easiest free route if it applies to you. Under California law, every mattress retailer — including online sellers — must take back your old mattress and box spring free of charge when they deliver a new one. They have up to 30 days from delivery to collect it. When you buy, just confirm the take-back at checkout, and the delivery crew handles the old one. No hauling, no drop-off trip.
Free city curbside pickup (if you qualify)
If you're an eligible City of Los Angeles resident, the city's free bulky-item pickup includes mattresses. It's genuinely useful — but it's curbside-only (you get the mattress to the street yourself), it can take days to weeks, and it doesn't serve independent cities like Santa Monica or Glendale, or most apartment buildings. We broke down exactly who qualifies and what the trade-offs are in our guide to free city pickup vs. paid removal — worth a read before you plan around it.
Why you can't just toss it (and the bed-bug problem)
It's tempting to drag a mattress to the alley or a dumpster, but in California that's illegal dumping and can bring a fine. Since the state already funds free recycling, there's no upside to risking it.
Bed bugs are the other complication. A mattress you suspect is infested can't go to a recycler and shouldn't be dragged uncovered through your building — that's how an infestation spreads to hallways and neighbors. The right move is to seal it in a plastic mattress bag before it leaves the room. If that's your situation, having a crew wrap and remove it is usually worth it.
When paid removal is worth it
The free options are great when the stars align — you qualify, the mattress is clean and dry, and you can transport it or wait. Paid removal earns its cost when they don't:
- The mattress is up stairs or in a back bedroom and you'd rather not wrestle it out.
- You don't have a truck to reach a drop-off site.
- It's infested or soiled, so recyclers won't take it and it needs careful, bagged removal.
- You're on a deadline — a move-out, a sale, or a rental turnover — and can't wait weeks.
- Your address isn't covered by city pickup (an independent city or a recycLA apartment).
With flat pricing you see the number before you book: a queen mattress is $129, a twin is $99, and a box spring is $69, all-in, with a $75 job minimum. The crew carries it out from wherever it sits, and we route usable and recyclable mattresses through Bye Bye Mattress where possible — so paying for convenience doesn't mean skipping the recycling. You can see how a mattress pickup fits with the rest of a job on our mattress removal page or the full price list.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get rid of a mattress for free in LA? Drop it at a free Bye Bye Mattress recycling site, have your retailer take the old one when a new mattress is delivered, or use free city curbside pickup if you're an eligible City of LA resident. Each is free; the trade-off is your time and effort.
Can I throw a mattress in the dumpster? No — that's illegal dumping in California and can result in a fine. Use a free drop-off or a scheduled pickup instead.
Does a junk-removal crew actually recycle the mattress? It should. We take dry, intact mattresses through the state's Bye Bye Mattress recycling program rather than straight to landfill.
How much does it cost to have a mattress hauled away? With flat pricing, a queen is $129, a twin is $99, and a king is $144, all-in, with a $75 minimum — carried out for you, no drag to the curb.
What do I do with a mattress that has bed bugs? Seal it in a plastic mattress bag before moving it, since recyclers won't accept it and it can spread otherwise. A crew can wrap and remove it so it's handled safely on the way out.
Skip the hauling and the guessing
If a free option fits your situation, use it. If the mattress is up a flight of stairs, you've got no truck, or you need it gone fast, get an exact, all-in price in seconds. See your flat price → — next-day pickup across LA and the surrounding cities.